FDC net up to Rs 6 crore:FDC Ltd has posted a higher net profit of Rs 6.11 crore for the quarter ended June 1998, against Rs 2.26 crore for the corresponding period last year. Net sales rose 55 per cent to Rs 44.07 crore during the period, as compared with Rs 28.44 crore in the same period last year. The company said that the illegal strike by workmen at its Waluj plant which commenced on March 24 this year, was called off unconditionally on July 29.

Orient Information Q1 net shoots up94%:Orient Information Technology Ltd has reported a 94 per cent jump in net profit to Rs 1.02 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 1998, from Rs 52.73 lakh during the same period last year. Turnover rose 64 per cent to Rs 4.15 crore from Rs 2.52 crore during the corresponding period the previous year.

HLL fish paste bags ISO 9002 certificate:Hindustan Lever Ltd's (HLL) export-dedicated Surimi (fish paste) factory at Chorwad in Gujarat has become the country's first marine unit to receive the ISO 9002 certification from Bureau Veritas Quality International. HLL is the largest exporter of Surimi from India. Value-added marine products are a key focus area in exports for HLL.

Sical to float ventures with PSA, UT Auto:The MA Chidambaram group company South India Corporation (Agencies) Ltd (Sical) plans to float a joint venture to strengthen its presence in port-related activities and another venture to enter auto-component sector. Resolutions empowering the company to pursue theventures got the shareholders' nod on Thursday at the company's annual general meeting in Chennai. Sical plans to enter into a joint venture with PSA India Pte Ltd (an arm of Port of Singapore Authority Corporation) and Nur Investment and Trading Pte Ltd for port clearing operations and other allied activities. Similarly, the company would also enter into a joint venture with the US-based UT Automotive Inc to manufacture engine cooling modules for cars.

Bharti BT to implement V-Sat network for Zuari Industries:Bharti BT, the country's fastest growing V-Sat services company, on Thursday announced that it will implement a 14-site V-Sat network for Zuari Industries Ltd, the Goa-based fertilizer major. In the first phase of the project, the V-Sat network will enable Zuari's corporate had branch offices to communicate on-line with each other via voice and fax. Subsequently, on-line data transfer, lotus notes and e-mail applications will run on the vsat network and will help Zuari Industries integrate itsoperations across its offices in the country.

Compaq unveils new server:Computer has introduced a standards-based Unix cluster server in the country. Called Compaq Integrity XC, it is said to deliver greater availability and scalability at a lower price. According to the company, this is the product introduced by Compaq using technology developed by Tandem that combines nonstop clusters for SCO Unixware with open and industry standard PC servers using Intel microprocessors.

Mining organisations' four-day event begins today:The union mining ministry will hold a four-day `mega event' from Friday to celebrate the golden jubilee of the country's independence. The event is being sponsored jointly by several public sector undertakings (PSUs) and private companies connected with mining all over the country. Nagpur has been chosen as it is the country's geographical heart with several mining institutions in and around it.

Hardware makers submit reccomendations:Hardware manufacturers havesubmitted a set of recommendations including zero income tax and a 24-hour customs clearance for achieving exports worth $10 billion by 2008 following the setting up of a separate panel to de-bottleneck the hardware sector. As part of the recommendations submitted to the national task force on information technology, the Manufacturer's Association of Information Technology (Mait), has demanded removal of monopoly enjoyed by airlines in cargo handling and setting export targets in line with import targets for officers to earn incentives.